The reign of mediocrity is upon us
"I know of no country in which there is less independence of mind and true freedom of discussion than in America.”
- Alexis De Tocqueville
Rock n' roll has enjoyed a mainstream resurgence of sorts over the past couple of years. I say "of sorts" because the music itself was always there. But, unfortunately, those who saturate our airwaves and define "popular" music - in addition to having an affinity for crap - are always slightly behind the curve. I realize that not everyone is innately curious, and that not everyone has the time nor inclination to search for new and exciting music. What consistently baffles me is the extent to which people insist on being force fed.
If rock n' roll was always there and really worthy of our attention, why wasn't it more commercially popular until just recently? If it existed all along, WHERE WAS IT?
Simply put, it was hidden. This is what happens to unique and distinctive ideas in America; they are forced into the background.
The biggest drawback to living in a democracy is what Alexis De Tocqueville termed the "tyranny of the majority." In a society made up of equal citizens, the majority rules. The majority is always right. For music fans, this means that we are subject to the whims of the least common denominator. This almost necessarily relegates certain music to the underground, since there is practically nothing outside of the majority capable of resisting it. No one heard the barely audible whisper of rock n' roll under the oppressive roar of Britney Spears. Sad but true.
There is simply something about our nation's psychology that causes us to gravitate towards uniformity. This bandwagon mentality leads us to exclude those who think or act differently. When you dyed your hair pink and wore it to school, were you admired for your independence? Social ostracism becomes a punishment for independence of mind. Our lives become indistinguishable from one another, suffering from a sameness that eventually becomes dullness.
This deference to the majority is presumably based upon the notion that there is more intelligence and wisdom in a number of men/women united than in a single individual. But millions of people bought Michael Bolton records. Millions.
Our freedom of thought unfortunately includes the freedom to have insufferably poor taste. Sounds somewhat elitist, I suppose...but how else can you explain the popularity of Nickelback?
- Alexis De Tocqueville
Rock n' roll has enjoyed a mainstream resurgence of sorts over the past couple of years. I say "of sorts" because the music itself was always there. But, unfortunately, those who saturate our airwaves and define "popular" music - in addition to having an affinity for crap - are always slightly behind the curve. I realize that not everyone is innately curious, and that not everyone has the time nor inclination to search for new and exciting music. What consistently baffles me is the extent to which people insist on being force fed.
If rock n' roll was always there and really worthy of our attention, why wasn't it more commercially popular until just recently? If it existed all along, WHERE WAS IT?
Simply put, it was hidden. This is what happens to unique and distinctive ideas in America; they are forced into the background.
The biggest drawback to living in a democracy is what Alexis De Tocqueville termed the "tyranny of the majority." In a society made up of equal citizens, the majority rules. The majority is always right. For music fans, this means that we are subject to the whims of the least common denominator. This almost necessarily relegates certain music to the underground, since there is practically nothing outside of the majority capable of resisting it. No one heard the barely audible whisper of rock n' roll under the oppressive roar of Britney Spears. Sad but true.
There is simply something about our nation's psychology that causes us to gravitate towards uniformity. This bandwagon mentality leads us to exclude those who think or act differently. When you dyed your hair pink and wore it to school, were you admired for your independence? Social ostracism becomes a punishment for independence of mind. Our lives become indistinguishable from one another, suffering from a sameness that eventually becomes dullness.
This deference to the majority is presumably based upon the notion that there is more intelligence and wisdom in a number of men/women united than in a single individual. But millions of people bought Michael Bolton records. Millions.
Our freedom of thought unfortunately includes the freedom to have insufferably poor taste. Sounds somewhat elitist, I suppose...but how else can you explain the popularity of Nickelback?
posted by Pj at 4:15 PM
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